ok question how many of you take vitamin supplements for crohns?????i myself dont take any vitamins at all but now i think i ought to as my back is beginning to get very sore now also for those of you who don take vitamins do you feel the benefit from taking them????????

Hi, I was given a multi-vitamin and B12 injections, which have had a good effect on me, the vitamin and mineral I take is a complete A-Z of RDA level on all vitamins and minerals associated with good health

since most of us eat like crap, crohn's or no crohn's, not to mention the lack of nutritional value that in our food (this really is scary if you take the time to look into it) a good multi vitamin is a good idea. cheap vitamins in big tubs are junk - total waste of money. if you are taking a multi and your urine glows in the dark it means that a good majority of the vitamin is being lost through urine, so in a sense you are flushing your money down the toilet, literally. a good multi will cost you $1-2 per pill. seriously. there are a lot of good brands out there and there is a lot of junk too. it requires a lot of research (i'm in the process of doing this now). for starters, i suggest getting a multi that is as organic/natural as possible and not full of synthetic stuff made in a lab. one way to know is to read the label: if it says d-ingredient it is natural = good. if it says dl-ingredient this is totally synthetic which your body which wont really assimilate and what it does it wont really use. we havent been able to mimic nature perfectly yet in the lab. so when looking for a multi try to get one with more d-ingredients and less dl-ingredients. i hope that made sense. most are best taken with meals. i suggest splitting the dose, that is dont take the whole dose with one meal cos your body can only assimilate so much of a certain thing at one time, so if you take a lot at once you may not be truly getting it all.

the more fruit and vegetables you eat the more nutrients (ie vitamins and minerals) you get, so eat more of these and i highly encourage you to eat organic since it has been shown that the nutritional quality is in fact better.

also, vitamins cannot be used without minerals (for example, you need magnesium for proper calcium absorption). your body can produce some vitamins (vitamin D for example) but not many and it cannot produce any minerals - they must all be obtained through diet.

do i notice a benefit from taking vitamins? cant say for certain but i do believe that it probably is a good idea to take since most of us dont eat well enough to obtain the proper amounts from food alone.Crazy Harry

---------------------------------------------Crohn's since 1993 (17 yrs old then)surgery in July '05 - removal of 2 inches at ileum and 8 inches of sigmoid colon (had fistula into bladder)Nov '05 developed colonic inertia; July '06 told i needed ostomy surgerybegan maker's diet in August '06 - now feeling the best ever with no symptoms of colonic inertia and i kept my colonmed free as of 10/31/07

i started to in july of this year when i found out i was anemic. i brought it up to my doc. i had it added to my standard order seeing how at the time i was also taking 6-mp, which requires monthly blood work (if it werent for those blood tests who knows if i'd have found out, but then i think i became anemic because of the 6-mp). anyhoo, my levels were super low and still are low, but are improving. a sublingual b-12 is best. take it with meals.Crazy Harry

---------------------------------------------Crohn's since 1993 (17 yrs old then)surgery in July '05 - removal of 2 inches at ileum and 8 inches of sigmoid colon (had fistula into bladder)Nov '05 developed colonic inertia; July '06 told i needed ostomy surgerybegan maker's diet in August '06 - now feeling the best ever with no symptoms of colonic inertia and i kept my colonmed free as of 10/31/07

i get 2 vials of adult multi vitamin mix in my TPN every night. plus i get b12 shots, and i take vit d. once a week for a deficiancy problem. what exactly is in the vials i dont know but its alot. oh and i get 1000 mg of vit c in my tpn as well.

many thanks for your reply ill start buying b12 iron vitamins omega fish oil and anything else thats suggested i thought by taking vitamins i might not be so ill with the crohns and have some energy at least also my back and my joints are becoming really sore that i can barely move.

I take: B12 sublingual. I took a B test and it came up negative so my doc wouldn't prescribe the shots =\ prenatal vitamins, extra calcium, extra vit C, Nature's Way Primadophilus Reuteri probiotics thanks to pb's suggestion, nature's way fisol (enteric coated fish oil for inflammation-the other stuff gives me the burps) -- the fish oil that is NOT in capsules is supposed to be healthier but I don't think I could bring myself to drink it) and metamucil for da fiber. =0) (I have more problems with C than D)

Do I feel I get a benefit? Well, I don't "feel" any better except for when I take the B12, but I know since I am unable to eat the raw vegetables I used to, I figure it can't hurt. Extra calcium (to make 1000mg day) is impt cause in my family all the women get osteopenia then it becomes osteoporosis and I don't feel like joining them in that club just yet if there is something I can do to prevent it.

I've been noticing that my back hurts more but I think it is because I am not as active as before I was diagnosed. Lately I have been stretching, taking hot baths, and trying to walk even if for 10 minutes and it seems to be lubricating things.

Hi angelang40...you don't say how old you are. I know CD can cause joint pains, but I just want to share that I personally have had great success with SAM-e for joint pains (I don't have CD but probably have mild osteo-arthritis. It runs in the family... I have no idea if it will help joint pain associated with Crohn's, just thought I'd throw it out there...) This is a fairly inexpensive supplement you can buy in the vitamin section of any store. No side effects, and years of studies in Europe before it finally came on the market here in the US sometime around 5 to 7 years ago. I first tried it after Dr. Andrew Weil recommended it when I saw him interviewed several years ago. It has an added benefit of "mood support". (He was recommending it as an alternative to St. John's Wort for mild depression)

Also, since fish oil (I would recommend cod liver oil) is a natural anti-inflammatory, by all means take it, too!!! Your back will thank you! More and more studies are proving omega 3s to be very beneficial for sooooo many of our health issues--not just CD.

I'm with Crazy Harry on making sure you are buying high quality vitamins. There is a lot of junk out there! Also, we introduced juicing a couple months ago and really love it! The whole family is into it! Fresh veggies give you the most bang for your buck when it comes to level of available vitamins and plant enzymes...and they're good, too! Personally, I've been amazed on two different occasions this fall when I was coming down with a cold and the fresh veggie juice stopped it in its tracks!

Good luck and good health to you!EMom

Grateful for everyone's help here!

Mother to 15 year old boy just diagnosed in June, 2007. Currently taking Asacol, omega 3s, digestive enzymes, probiotics, iron, vit. C, and a good multivitamin.

I get b-12 injections once a month and take Slow-FE (iron), potassium and Acidophylus (sp?) every day. I need to be taking calcium for have bone loss, but I haven't found one that doesn't tear up my stomach. Has anyone found a good calcium supplement?DX: mild to moderate Crohn's for 34 years

Im 41 just passed last friday at the minute feel more like 101 lol sore back sore joint sore heads the list is endless i did not quite manage to get to the health shop today but i will tomorrow im talking everthing thats going lol ive never took any vitamins since i was diagnosed with crohns i never thought i needed any until now feel really tired and lethargic and backs really sore along with the joints here in the uk the terminoligy is all different to the us the meds the vitamins i never know what you lot talk about with all the various treatments lol never mind ill get there ill just get a translator

ps mom im from the uk and scottish reason why we are all milk bottle white the weathers cold

i used to be so healthy and now well takes me all my time to clean my house and do normal day to day things i could sleep forever

Clcaj - for calcium i use peter gillhams natural calm plus calcium. it is a calcium/magnesium supplement. mix a teaspoon or so in hot water and drink at night and morning. taste isnt bad at all.

malakai - there are flavored fish oils out there. i use garden of life's codmega. it has a lemon/mint flavor. goes down easy. carlson lab's makes a quality product too. i wouldnt take it this way unless it was flavored.Crazy Harry

---------------------------------------------Crohn's since 1993 (17 yrs old then)surgery in July '05 - removal of 2 inches at ileum and 8 inches of sigmoid colon (had fistula into bladder)Nov '05 developed colonic inertia; July '06 told i needed ostomy surgerybegan maker's diet in August '06 - now feeling the best ever with no symptoms of colonic inertia and i kept my colonmed free as of 10/31/07

Hi I am reading about vitties and minerals now and much research has gone into the effects of the afore mentioned . My belief is yes they are benefical for good health .Any disease that takes away from the body should be supported with good V's and M's. I started one a cauple of weeks ago and have had more energy. As long as your Dr. doesn't object perhaps you can try some .Just make sure that your Dr. knows when you see him or her as they need to be aware of everything you take .I find it hard to remember to take them at times I usually take them at dinner time. From what I am reading B12 produces bone it is called osteoblasts. They also say other vitties are benefical so a multi -Vit and mineral seems to make good sense. lol gail

hey crazy harry, what is the texture of the cod mega???? Is it noticeable oily and thick? I was at a super supplements looking that the udo fish stuff yesterday but STILL couldn't bring myself to buy it. =0\

angelang40,Just wanted to let you know... before you buy all the supplements since you said that you normally don't take them, you might want to start out with the multiviamin first, see how the tum tum handles it for a couple of days and then add a new thing to it. That way you'll know if something doesn't jive instead of quit taking all the supplements if one doesn't work out. Kindda like when you try out a new food to see if it is tummy friendly.Newbie - 35 yrs old Diagnosed: 08/03/07Meds:Asacol 3x dayImuran 50MG 3 x dayLamictal 125 MG/day for bioloar II

malakai - yes it is oily, but not bad. i wouldnt say thick. if too much of the stuff didnt give you D i'd do more than 1-3 teaspoons per night. i actually kinda like the taste (jordan rubin, maker's diet guy, says this is his favorite supplement). it is a mental thing. i had to suck it up myself but after trying it and seeing that it wasnt bad at all i now have no problem doing it. in fact, i think i get more fishy tasty breath and what not from the pills and even those are flavored.Crazy Harry

---------------------------------------------Crohn's since 1993 (17 yrs old then)surgery in July '05 - removal of 2 inches at ileum and 8 inches of sigmoid colon (had fistula into bladder)Nov '05 developed colonic inertia; July '06 told i needed ostomy surgerybegan maker's diet in August '06 - now feeling the best ever with no symptoms of colonic inertia and i kept my colonmed free as of 10/31/07

A B-total, A C-vit and a cod liver oil (for reducing inflammations) with D, E and omega 3.Yoghurt every day for calcium and probiotics. Calcium helps the bones and teeth. Probiotics reduces inflammation.Fruit and berries for antioxydants.Vegetables for vitamines, fibers and antioxydants. Reduces inflammations.Turmeric every day...reduces inflammations.

And Low dose naltrexone, LDN, to get rid of pain and diarrhea. It still works!;-)

Ingrid

Diagnosed CD June 2007. Have been on a minor prednisone medication. Did make a difference while max dosed. Got my problems back when tapering.

Using Low Dose Naltrexone from sept. 2007. See yahoo.com. A member in the group "lowdosenaltrexone" at yahoo. A mixed group, members with MS, Crohns, Colitis Ulcerosa, psoriasis, other autoimmune diseases.

Use home made scd yoghurt containing a lot of probiotics - a benefit for the intestines. I don't use white sugar. No yeast in glutenfree, homemade breads.